A new way to begin
by Dee11
Summary: Squall is invited to a meeting at Seifer's father's mansion. A new sorcerer/sorceress was been terrorizing different cities, and SeeD is hired to do the job. Squinoa. Rated for further chapters.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. I live in a cardboard box behind The Mall of America, I swear. Yup, there with my little pizza box, my cable modem.... and a peanut.  
  
Author's Note: Ahh.. There isn't one? Oh well, just read, I'll have one when I'm done ^___^ Oh, wait. Nothing that happened in the game has happened here. The SeeDs all know each other, however none of them except for Seifer have met Rinoa. It's a Squinoa, by the way! Enjoy!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The darkening clouds billowed up as the wind became more violent, and rapped at anything it touched. A single car drove down a twisting road, heading up to a large mansion on a side of a hill facing the sea. There were hardly any trees to shield the car or anything, really, from the wind, as it grew stronger, and the clouds more menacing. Finally, the clouds let loose, and the rain fell, not hard, but to the point of annoyance.  
  
The driver of the car was already late. He swore under his breath, and ran a finger down the scar on his forehead. As he turned the last curve, he saw the mansion, its beautiful landscape, its full windows, all with light bursting from them. Fun, he thought. I don't like parties, what am I doing here?  
  
He drove up the circular drive way, and stopped in front of a man. The man drew up his umbrella, and ran to the side of the car. The man in the car rolled down the window, and said "Yes?"  
  
The man outside, who was soaked from the rain, wiped at his drenched forehead. "May I see your invitation?"  
  
The man dug around in his coat pocket, and produced an envelope. He handed it to the man outside, and he looked at it.  
  
"Lets see," he said, opening it. He took out the letter, and read the name quickly. "Mr.. Leonheart, is it? Very well, I will park your car. I expect they will be serving dinner soon. They have postponed it due to the weather."  
  
Squall Leonheart stepped out of the car, drew up his own umbrella, and walked up the stairs to the large victorian doors. A man who was dressed in a dark blue tuxedo opened the door for him, and Squall entered. He himself was dressed in the SeeD uniform, the (forgive me if I get this wrong) dark blue pants, and overcoat. He straightened the pins on his uniform, for it was bad luck if any of them weren't neat, and proceeded into the foyer. Another man, also in black, met him there.  
  
"Mr. Leonheart!" he cried, and came over to shake Squalls hand. "It is good to see you. Did you have any trouble finding your way?"  
  
Squall stared at the man. "No, Headmaster. I'm sure no one could miss a mansion this big." He looked around. Everything was of higher class, a world he had never known. There was a grand staircase further up, and a set of double doors both on his left, and his right.  
  
The headmaster laughed. "As I thought as well. But the Governor here thought it was his duty to host this get together. I do not know what to call it. And Squall, I am no longer your headmaster. Here I am just plain Cid. But, shall we go?"  
  
Squall nodded, and followed Cid through the double doors on the left, and was amazed at the site. In front of him was a long table that, he guessed, sat about sixty. About half of the heads that sat turned their attention to him briefly, and then went back to their conversation. At the end of the hall were three very large windows, that displayed the game the weather played outside. On either side of the hall were waiters in black pants, white shirts, and a towel draped around their arm. Squall looked at Cid, and he smiled. "You sit near the front, Squall. In fact, right next to the head of the table, on his left."  
  
Squall scanned the table, and saw, to his slight disgust, that Seifer Almasy sat at the head. As he made his way to his seat, he muttered, "of course he's there. This is his mansion, isn't it?"  
  
When he got to the head, Seifer stopped his conversation he was having with the man on his right, and stood up. Seifer, who's scar was a mirror image of Squall's, regarded him for a moment, and then held out his hand. As much as they were rivals, deep down there was an understanding between the two. Squall clasped his hand and shook it, saying "Hello, Seifer."  
  
Seifer nodded, and said "likewise," taking his seat again. He raised his hand as Squall began to look around again, and a waiter came rushing to him.  
  
'Yes, sir?"  
  
"Now that my dear friend Squall has arrived, you may serve dinner," he said with a brief glance at Squall.  
  
"Yes, sir." The waiter said, backing away. "Very good, sir."  
  
Squall hadn't noticed Seifer glance at him, but now he was just staring at him. "Well," he said, breaking Squall out of the slight glance. "What do you think?"  
  
Squall looked at the guests he sat by. A few of them he recognized as fellow SeeD members. Most were men, but a few women sat also. Across from him sat Headmaster Mortimer, of the Galbadian Garden. To his side was a woman who Squall didn't know. She simply smiled at him, brushing dark brown hair out of her face, and tucking it behind her ears, only to have it escape again. Squall looked back at Seifer. "I wouldn't expect you to be the type to have people wait on you, Seifer."  
  
Seifer laughed, and took a grape from a small bowl in front of him, popping it into his mouth. "Yes, well, if you've got it, you've got it. This is actually my father's mansion. Renald's. He's sitting at the head of the other end."  
  
Squall looked down the row of people, noticing a few other people he knew, and saw, for the first time, Seifer's father. He was dressed in a dark green suit that brought out the green in his eyes, not that Squall could tell, and with dark grey hair, mixed in with black. To the right of him was a lady dressed in lavender, her blond hair done up in a bun in the back of her head. She had a cold expression on her face as she listened to Seifer's father talk. Across from her was another lady, only, she was younger than the rest of the guest, about Seifer or Squall's age. She, too, was talking with the man, and turned slightly, noticing Squall's gaze. She smiled at him, and went back into her conversation.  
  
Seifer noticed his gaze, and said casually, "the lady to his right is my Mother, Lianne. On his left is my woman, Rinoa Heartilly." Squall looked at him. Well, he didn't think a girl would be interested in him anyway, even if for the first time he was lost in her beauty. He looked at the girl again, and banished her from his mind. She's Seifer's, he thought. She must be just like him, which is hard to believe. Better to stay away from her.  
  
And that was that. In his mind, he already disliked her. Throughout dinner, he did not even once look at her. He didn't notice that she, herself, had caught herself looking at him, rather than to her fiancé, Seifer.  
  
"Rinoa, my dear," said Lianne, smiling at her. "How have things been lately?"  
  
Rinoa thought on this for a moment, and sighed. "A little hectic. This, gathering, if you would call it that, has been a bit hard to plan. There was the food, the party afterwards, and then the meeting after that." She looked at her plate, a bit frustrated. "Seifer wouldn't let me do anything else. He seems to be keeping me busy lately, and I'm not sure that I like it." Her eyes suddenly widened, for she had spoke her opinion. Seifer's mother believed that Seifer should marry a woman without an opinion. 'Easier to keep tract of, if you asked me.' But his father was a different matter all together. He rather liked Rinoa for her strong spirit and talented mind. She knew battle tactics, she could use a weapon, and would be a good general, given the chance. He frowned at Rinoa, feeling her frustration.  
  
"Well," he said, cheerfully, patting her slightly on the back. "I think he wants you to be occupied so you don't worry about the wedding. How is that going, by the way?"  
  
Rinoa's eyes brightened. He could always cheer her up. "Great! I found a beautiful church, with beautiful stained glass windows....."  
  
  
  
Squall leaned against a large pillar, and sighed, taking a sip of his drink. All around him music flared, dancers danced beautiful dances, and people laughed, or talked. He saw Seifer dancing with his mother, Rinoa with her soon to be father-in-law, and became angry. How was it fair that Seifer has such a wonderful life without working for a thing, and he has to struggle everywhere? He decided that he couldn't look at them anymore, and walked over to a set of doors and out onto a balcony. He leaned over the railing, looking at the terrace below, watching the guards shift around, or play cards. The moon was full and bright, and the rain had stopped, although there was a slightly breeze. Perfect for a midsummer night. He heard the doors to the balcony close behind him, and decided not to look to see who it was. A man leaned against the railing next to him, but Squall could not see who it was, as his eyes were focused on the men below.  
  
"Beautiful night, isn't it, Squall?"  
  
That voice struck a cord in his memory. Where had he heard that before? Ah, now he remembered. He straightened and looked at the man. "Yes it is, General Caraway."  
  
The General laughed. "I didn't think you would remember me, Squall. May I ask what you are doing out here, instead of in there?" He gestured at the doors. Squall shrugged.  
  
"I don't like parties."  
  
General Caraway laughed. "Sure you do! Everyone loves to dance."  
  
"Everyone except for me."  
  
The General looked at Squall thoughtfully for a moment, and smiled, and idea striking him. "You should have a talk with my daughter. Graceful as a swan, that one is. She can teach you."  
  
Squall, surprised, looked at him. "You have a daughter?"  
  
Caraway laughed. "Yes, didn't you know? Well, I suppose not. She hasn't worked up a proper ladies name-" Squall raised his eyebrow. "No, not like that. She knows more about the military and the wars and such than I do, sometimes. One moment, I'll find her for you."  
  
Before Squall could protest, he was halfway through the doors. Sighing, he crossed his arms, on the railing, and laid he head in them, looking at the sky again. Below him he heard the guards wrapping up their game; the meeting should be starting within a half an hour, he heard one of them say. Squall, grateful to hear this news, straitened up, and turned around. He didn't hear the door opening, and was looking down at the pattern of the tile on the floor, and bumped into someone.  
  
"Sorry," he muttered, picking himself off the ground. He looked over, and to his horror, it was a woman on the ground. He extended his hand, and a tender one grabbed it, happy for the help. She stood up, dusted her hands, and smiled at him.  
  
"You must be Squall."  
  
Squall looked at her. This must be Caraway's daughter. But she looked strangely like- "My name is Rinoa. I'm General Caraway's daughter. Nice to meet you." She held out her hand.  
  
Squall took it, muttering "whatever" low enough so Rinoa couldn't hear him. The door behind them opened again, and Seifer poked his head out. Squall looked over, a look of panic on his face, as Seifer came strolling out.  
  
"What are you doing out here?" he asked Rinoa, looking from her to Squall.  
  
"Father said there was someone out here I should meet. He said I should teach him how to dance." Squall looked down, slightly shaking his head. Seifer laughed.  
  
"Well, that would be Squall for you. Squall, my fiancé Rinoa. Rinoa, my long time rival, Squall."  
  
Rinoa was slightly annoyed, and said "we've met."  
  
Seifer, more interested in the tone she used rather what she said, grabbed her arm tightly. Rinoa kept her face straight, but Squall could see her bitting her lower lip from letting sound escape her lips. Seifer smiled. "Come, Darling, Squall. The meeting is starting in the conference room."  
  
Seifer pulled Rinoa away, through the doors, but didn't see the look in Rinoa's eyes as she looked at Squall before the door closed. Was that a plea for help? Squall shook his head. "What does it matter? It has nothing to do with me," he said to himself, and opened the door, and walked back into the ballroom, making his way for the conference room.  
  
(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)  
  
Author's note. Iie! I didn't think that was that good. But oh well, I have noticed a lot of authors don't think their work is satisfactory. Who am I to judge? I hope you liked it! Please review! Criticism is welcomed, and I warn you: My spell check doesn't like me. *Pats it* that's okay, though. I don't like it either *Grins* Thanks for reading! Ja ne! ^________^ 


	2. Chapter Two

~A new way to begin~ Chapter Two!  
  
Author's Note: Whahoo! I got a review! Take that computer! *does her happy dance* ^___^ Gomen. I don't know who this is going to turn out yet, I guess I'm going to write it as I go, so I make NO promises! And I excuse the spelling for half of the things that are spelled wrong, mainly the names of cities, sorry! Oh, and sorry for making up cities, but, my memory is faltering, and I needed a new city. Enjoy!  
  
"None of you know why you're here. At least, none of you should. I am not going to deny the abundance, or lack, or your intelligence." A few chuckles rose around the room. The speaker smiled. "Two weeks ago, Galbadian forces reported that the International Union of Magic was destroyed, with ninety five of its members dead. Witnesses say that they saw a woman with dark hair wearing long blue dress was seen walking away; not a scratch was on her. In Dollet, a that same woman in blue was seen fleeing the scene after a small force of small imp-like creatures set fire to the Criminal Facility, which housed Galdren Noose, who recently went on a killing masacre, and killed twenty-two people in a shopping center in Thebes."  
  
Seifer's father sat down, opening the floor to his son. His face was set as he smoothed his hair, which wasn't slicked back for a change. "No one knows what to do. I've gathered all of you here-" he looked around the room at all the people in chairs at the long table. They looked back at them, faces of young, old, new, familiar, light skinned, dark skinned, woman, or man. "You are the best that SeeD's got out there. We've been hired, all of the SeeD's have been hired, to find and destroy the people who are behind this. Wether it is the woman in blue, the man in blue, or neither of them. We will find and destroy the enemy!" He slammed his fist, which caused an uproar of applause and cries. Seifer, satisfied, settled down in his chair again, next to Rinoa, who was now dressed in a white wide sleeved shirt, and a navy blue skirt. She stood out from all of the others, as they were still dressed in their SeeD uniforms of navy blue.  
  
She was staring down at the table top when Mortimer stood and circled the table, handing out rather large folders to each person. He placed Squall's in front of him, and he looked at it. Very neatly at the top were the words, "Leonheart, Squall." which suggested that this was especially for him. He opened the packet as others were looking at theirs, and stared at the many sheets of people inside.  
  
"Inside these envelopes are the names, pictures, and statuses of the people who you will be in command of in your area. Some of them maybe be older than you, but you must remember that you are here, they are not. You are in charge. You will be meeting in the nearest garden in your area the day after tomorrow at three o'clock. Do not be late. This mission is too priceless to screw up on now." He finished circling, and sat down in his seat again.  
  
Renald cleared his voice to cease the mummers that were filling the room. He gently shook his wife's arm, and she aroused from her slumber. He smiled at her, and faced the room. "I know that it is late, so I must be asking you all to turn in." He stopped, and slapped his hand to his forehead. "Oh, of course! Stupid me, we have yet to show you your rooms." He stood up, and the rest of the men copied him. They pushed in their chairs, grabbed their folders, and followed Renald out of the room and down the hall. He then lead them up a spiral staircase, and down a hall. Seifer stepped to the side, and let the others pass, grabbing Squall as he walked by.  
  
"This way," he said, motioning him down a different hall. "I have a special room for you." Squall followed him silently as he lead him up another spiral staircase. He opened a door, which Squall thought opened to some smaller room, which was unfurnished, but was surprised when he looked around at a circular room with a large bed, and a desk on the opposite side. Squall walked through and Seifer closed the door behind him.  
  
"So, what do you think?"  
  
Squall stared at Seifer. Since when did he care about his opinion? "I don't know."  
  
Seifer raise his eyebrows, and nudges Squall. "What do you mean you don't know? You have to have some kind opinion. Hundreds of people have died already, Squall. Rinoa was there when the Embassy in New Haven fell to pieces. Even she had an opinion on the matter, stupid as it may be." He paused, staring at Squall, who showed slight discomfort to the way he treated his fiance.  
  
"Whatever." Squall walked over to one of the many windows and looked outside, marveling at the view. Seifer walked up behind him, and grabbed Squall's arm, forcing him to face him.  
  
"Get this strait, Leonheart. You don't like me, and I certainly don't like you. But believe it or not, this is a problem which all SeeD's must face, and if that means that I have to work with yo-"  
  
Squall yanked his arm back. "What in the hell is wrong with you, Seifer? Since when did you give a damn about anyone besides yourself?" His patients nearly snapped when Seifer laughed at him. He laughed so hard, tears came to his eyes as he sat down on the edge of the bed.  
  
"Whats wrong with me?" he repeated. "I don't know, Squall. You tell me. Havent you ever heard of a change of heart?"  
  
Squall shuffled his foot around, string at the floor. "Anyone has more change of heart than you, Seifer. I don't know what's wrong with you, but you don't fool me." Again, to Squall's annoyance, Seifer laughed.  
  
"You're right. Something is wrong with me. None of your concern, however." He stood suddenly, and gripped Squall's arm again, pushing him onto the bed. "Be warned, Squall. Don't get in my way, or I might make you regret it. Everyone says my change in attitude is remarkable, but if they only knew, like you, or me-"  
  
The door behind them opened. Seifer grabbed his gunblade and thrust it at the person's chest, only inches away from penetrating it. Seifer swore.  
  
"Dammit, you worthless woman!" Squall moved his head to look past Seifer in time to see Rinoa sink to the floor. She starred up at him with a slight trace of fear in her eyes, but Squall didn't think it was due to the weapon that had been close to her chest. The sound of Seifer's voice worried him. Something was defiantly wrong with Seifer, but did he care, really? So what if Seifer went on a murderous rampage and got killed. That would only make life a bit easier for him. He shook his head, and came back to the scene in front of him.  
  
"What is it that you want, exactly?" said Seifer, sheathing his gunblade once more. Rinoa picked herself off the ground, nodded a slight greeting to Squall, and stood up straight.  
  
"I'm leaving," she said. There was a bit of force in her voice. Seifer blinked at her.  
  
"Where?"  
  
Now it was Rinoa's turn to blink. Was he really letting her leave so easily? "I have a few errands to make, and I have to talk to the church."  
  
"No, Rinoa. Where are you really going?"  
  
She looked confused. Seifer simply smiled at her. "What do you mean where am I really going? Look, Seifer, I really don't have time for this, my train leaves in an hour."  
  
Seifer nodded towards her, and said, "wait outside." Rinoa glared slightly at him, not moving. "I said wait outside," he repeated, and took Rinoa by the arm, leading her out the door. He slammed it shut after her, and sighed, resting against it. "Squall, you're the lucky one, you're the loner." Squall stared at him. How could this make him lucky? "I tell you, woman are nothing but trouble, filthy bitches. They take what they want, and leave you the rest. Remember what I said about my romantic dream?" Squall nodded. "Well, that all went to hell." With that, he turned and opened the door, leaving. Squall could hear foot steps quickening, and Seifer's voice saying "Get back here."  
  
"Whatever, Seifer," Squall said, and laid back on the bed. He folded his arms beneath him, and stared over at the window, the days events running through his head. Who could these people be? What did they want? Who could that woman possibly be?  
  
A thought stuck him. If this woman was powerful to destroy city buildings, and had an army, no matter how big, of imp-like creatures behind her, what made those people think that SeeD could destroy them? After all, SeeD is just normal people who have been practicing fighting from the beginning, what could they possibly do against an all-powerful sorceress?  
  
Squall shrugged to himself, grabbed the pillow, and laid his head on it. Tomorrow was tomorrow, after all, and he had to make the journey home. If 'home' was the right word for it.  
  
Seifer came crashing through the doors to his father's study, slightly out of breath. His father continued to write, and Seifer waited. Being with his father more often had made him more obedient in his presence, but that was about it.  
  
Renald finally set his pen aside, and turned his body around to face his son. "Yes? Is there a problem?"  
  
"Rinoa ran off again. Do you know where she went?" Seifer moved and sat down in a chair, resting his elbows on his knees. His father looked at him thoughtfully.  
  
"I believe," he said slowly, thinking over the conversation they had earlier that evening. He looked over at the clock; it was two in the morning. He yawned, and addressed Seifer again, who was waiting impatiently. "I believe," he said again, "that she went to Balamb. She was going to attend the SeeD meeting there, talk to the church, and then she was off to her father's for a week."  
  
"I see," said Seifer, sarcastically. "And why does she not share any of this with me, may I ask?"  
  
"I don't know," Renald snapped. "Maybe its because I treat her more like a human being than you do? If you ask me, Seifer, right now, you would make a pretty lousy husband."  
  
"Well, no one asking you!" Seifer yelled at him. He stood up.  
  
A shot of annoyance went through Renald's head as he turned back to his work. "Go to your room."  
  
Seifer stared, dumbstruck for a moment, and repeated, "go to my room? Who do you think you are?!"  
  
Renald laughed at Seifer. "I believe the last time I checked, I was your father, and your last chance at sanity. Go to your room this instance."  
  
Seifer glared at him for a moment, and then turned and fleed, slamming the door behind him. He stormed up the staircase, and slammed the door to his room, and screamed in fury.  
  
"That child," his father said, with a grin, "never grows up."  
  
Rinoa stared out the window into the darkness as her train sped up down the tracks. She tried to keep Seifer out of her mind, but even more, that idiot Squall. How could he just sit there and let Seifer beat on her like that? Even if he didn't know her.  
  
A nock sounded at the door, and she turned to it, the light from the wall lamps flickered slightly as Rinoa turned to the door, and called "Come in!"  
  
A tall man in a black suit entered, followed by two more men, dressed the same. Rinoa stared at them, trying to see if she recognized them. She didn't. She stood, and folder her hands in front of herself. "Can I help you?"  
  
"Yes," the first man said, in a deep voice, "you can." He stepped forward, and grabbed Rinoa by the arm. She cried out and tried to pull back, but the man had a strong hold on her. She pulled back her hand, and struck his face, her hand stinging as it connected his face. His dark brown hair rustled a bit, as his face turned sideways from her slap. He stared in that direction momentarily, and then used his other hand to touch Rinoa's temple. She gasped, and suddenly felt the overpowering sensation overwhelm her. Her eyes slid shut, as sleep engulfed her.  
  
The other two men grabbed her, while the fist stood back a moment to look at her. She was beautiful while she slept, he thought. One of the men kicked him slightly to release him from his trance on her, and asked "Where do you want her, Number One?"  
  
Number One considered it. It was late enough in the night, around three thirty, but people were still up and walking around, after a party they had a few cars down. He shook his head, and said "put her on the bed. We will see about moving her in an hour or so, before that servant of hers gets back."  
  
The other two nodded, and laid her gently on the bed. Number One walked over to her side, and caressed her cheek, stroking it gently. "You must stay with us now," said he. "I'm afraid you cannot go home. We need you... you need us, admit it." Of course, she wasn't going to, she had no clue who these people were. And she couldn't speak even if she wanted to. Sleep had too much of a hold on her.  
  
He stood up strait, and walked over to the other side of the room to sit down next to the other two and watch her sleep, as the train rolled on towards Balamb.  
  
(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)( ~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)  
  
Author's Note-  
  
Ahh, too much OOC if you ask me. But I tried, oh I tried. Sorry if you think its too much, and I am welcome to suggestions. So e-mail me, or IM me, and we can have a talk! I like advice on how to make my fanfic's better... ^____^ Ja ne! 


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